The Youth and Society (YAS) has called on political leaders and aspirants to demonstrate the political will needed to address the challenges faced by young people in the country.

YAS Programs Coordinator, Mwandida Theu, made the appeal during a youth manifesto consultation meeting in Mzuzu ahead of the September 16, 2025, general election.

In an interview with YFM, Theu highlighted that many of the promises made in the 2019 youth manifesto, such as the creation of employment opportunities for young people, have not been fulfilled.

She stressed that revisiting and updating the manifesto would help bring the concerns of young people to the forefront of political dialogue.

Tawene Simbeye, a youth leader and member of the Rise Together organization, emphasized the need for political leaders to move beyond using young people for political gain and instead focus on empowering them to become economically independent.

Joseph Tombozi, a consultant working on the initiative, warned that without the political will of leaders to support and promote youth initiatives, it will be difficult to achieve and implement the youth manifesto’s goals.